PROPER USE OF WATER FOR HYGIENE AND DRINKING

Most infectious agents that cause diarrhea are transmitted by the fecal-oral route. This includes transmission by contaminated drinking water or contaminated food, and person-to-person spread. A plentiful supply of clean water helps to encourage hygienic practices, such as hand washing, cleaning of eating utensils. Theses practices can interrupt the spread of infectious agents that cause diarrhea. Clean water is essential, however, for drinking and for preparing food.

HAND WASHING
Parents can help to protect young children against diarrhea by adopting certain hygiene practices. One very important practice is hand-washing. Hands should be washed carefully after defecation before handling food and before feeding. Good hand washing requires the use of soap (or a local substitute), plenty of water (5).


USE OF LATRINES
Human faeces should be disposed of in a way that prevents them form coming into contact with hands or contaminating a water source. This is best a achieved through regular use of a well-maintained latrine. The proper use of latrines can reduce the risk of diarrhea to almost the same extent as improved water supplies, but the greatest benefit occurs when improvement in sanitation and water supply are combined and education is given on hygienic practices.
 
MEASLES IMMUNIZATION Children who have measles., or have had the disease in the previous four weeks, have a substantially increased risk of developing severe or fatal diarrhea or dysentery (there is some evidence that the increased risk lasts up to six months after measles). Because of the strong relationship between measles and serious diarrhea, and the effectiveness of measles vaccines, measles immunization is a very cost-effective measure for reducing diarrhea morbidity and deaths. Measles vaccine given at 9 months of age can prevent up to 25% of diarrhea-associated deaths in children under 5 years of age.

What healthcare providers should do?